The Story behind the Scar: A Vikings Tale
by Yiramy
Summary: 9th Century. The Vikings attacked the Low Countries, also called the Netherlands, in their moment of glory and the little Netherlands runs to Belgium for comfort. Mention of Norway. No angst or sadness, though, just some sibling interaction.


So, we did a challenge again! xD This time we had the colour pink, the song "Swim until you can't see land" from Frightened Rabbit (no ideaaaa, never heard of song and band xD) and the word 'misunderstanding'. For those who skipped the summary, Netherlands seeks comfort by his sister after he's been attacked by a certain Viking. 9th Century.

xXx

"Belgica! Belgica, waar ben je?" A scrawny little boy, around the age of eight, a bit too thin and his hair full of mud had ran up the hill. His clothes were torn, dirty and he was bleeding as well. Flopping in the grass out of exhaustion he looked around for her. Where was she? She should be here around somewhere.. if Germania just had done his job better, this wouldn't have happened. Wasn't it his job to take care of his provinces, even if they were stupid and worthless and flat and not even worth for the Vikings to get robbed? He grew angry when that stupid face of that big blonde man appeared in his head, that taunting face, with the voice that had froze him right on the spot. He jumped up, what if he had gotten her, too? He started panicking a little. But then, behind a tree, he had seen her dress moving. Running towards her, he stumbled almost over his own feet and barely managed to stop himself rolling off the hill. The girl turned around and immediately saw something was wrong. She dropped her basket which was filled with apples - she had been climbing in the trees in order to get them, but no way she was going to tell him that - and opened her arms, in which he fell and tears started forming. This was very strange behaviour for her brother, she thought.. but obviously something had happened.

"H-Hey .. wat is er gebeurd?" Wrinkling her nose because she smelled the mud and dirt in his hair, she forced him to stop hugging her so she could take a closer look. "You've been bleeding! And why do you have so many scratches on your arms and legs? ..were you attacked by the wolves?"

The boy shook his head. "Th-they attacked me..."

"Who did?"

"A person with an axe.. and he called himself Nor-ge... and he had this scary bird and I was so scared he had come to you and he burned my villages! And .. and Germanië wasn't there at all and he had to help me! I am one of his provinces and he should've been there! It was better when the Romeinen were here! Not nicer, maybe but they at least cared for us! And he talked about invading and conquering and - "

The girl stared confused at him. "Can you please slow down?" Then she thought of something. "Bathe first."

He stared unbelievably at her. "Bath? Now?"

"Oui! You stink. And after that, we talk. Oké?" Smiling at him, she pushed him towards the trees, to a little stream of water. Grumbling something, he took her advice and started undressing himself. She sighed when he ordered her to turn around; he was so prude sometimes. With a loud splash she heard him jumping into the water. She giggled a bit; he was always so .. subtle. After he told her she could look again, she turned to pick up his clothes. What did he do with them? He definitely needed new clothes. She tossed them into the water. The boy shouted.

"What are you doing? Now I don't have anything to wear!"

She frowned at him. "What's the point of bathing if you're going to put on your dirty clothes?" Then she smiled. "Wait here." Then she ran away, leaving the young male behind.

He sighed deeply, but took a dive underwater and tried to get the mud out of his hair. He didn't like swimming under water. For some reason, he was scared of drowning and although he was a good swimmer.. that little thought was always in his mind. Opening his eyes, he swam to the the reed and relaxed a little. He tried to remember what had happened, but all he knew was a bird, a tall man with an axe, blood, spit, a bite, a kick, a tree, black.

"Nederlaaaaand?" his sister's voice brought him back to the reality and he confusedly stared at her. Then he saw the small bundle of clothes in her arms and he smiled a little. Swimming towards her, but not coming out of the water, he waved at her. "Can you turn around?" He heard her sighing for the second time, but did as her was told. He quickly climbed out of the water, removing grass that was sticking to his wet body and studied the clothes. They were somewhat too big for him, but it was better than nothing. After a couple of minutes he was fully dressed and ran to Belgium. She offered him a smile.

"Now you can tell me what's going on."

He looked at her, not really knowing where to start. There was this man who had introduced himself as Norge - whatever that meant - and had almost killed him. But he didn't want to scare her. "There was a stranger ... chasing me and kicked me unconscious..."

His sister stared at him, puzzled. "Is that really all?" He nodded. She grabbed his hair and pulled it. "You're not telling the truth!"

"I am telling the truth!" She pulled harder.

"I'm not letting go until you tell the truth!"

There was a very unmanly shriek when Belgium pulled so hard she had pulled out a lot of hairs from his head. Holding his head - it already hurt, dammit! - he sent her a glare and sighed. "Fine.. I'll tell you.."

"Good." Forcing her brother to sit down in the grass, she ripped some fabric from her dress and made it wet. Then she inspected the cut she'd noticed. Not saying anything so he could have the chance to explain what happened the other day, she began to clean his wound.

"Be careful, it hurts!" he said angrily. She didn't react. For a couple of minutes they were silent, Belgium carefully cleaning out the fairly deep cut. It stinged a lot, but he bit on his tongue and tried not to show it hurt. She was only helping him after all.. when she was done, she grabbed the dagger that belonged to him. His eyes widened. "Wh-what are you going to do with it?"

"Cutting your hair off," was her simple answer. "Otherwise your hair at the front will touch the wound and that would only hurt you more." She shrugged. "It'll grow back anyways."

Muttering that she should be careful, he let her cut it off. With tongue out, she grabbed this hair and with ultimate precision she let it slide against the sharp blade of the dagger. As soon as she was done, he grabbed the weapon and tossed it behind them. He hated the thing; it was a 'gift' from the Norge man, as well as a promise. It meant the Viking would come back, and not for a nice little chat. He didn't want to look at it, but if he wanted to survive, he figured that he should have a little practise with it. It was the only reason why he hadn't thrown it in the sea.

"There were Vikingen .. you know, the ones where Germania had warned us for.." Nederland said softly, feeling tired and sad. "But I never thought they were going after me ... because there are provinces much richer than me. Even he - ", he meant the Norge-called blonde, " - said I was worthless. But België, he was one of us. I don't understand why they attacked me..." He stared at her, and the ladybug in her tidy hair, and her eyes full of worry.

"He cut me and I fainted," he continued. Then a grin appeared on his face. "But I bit him and it really hurt, he even swore." Well, at least it sounded like swearing. He had no idea what the other had spoken, but it had sounded really harsh and foreign and .. yes, like swearing. He also had a weird bird, that was really big and he felt like he could've easily been that bird's dinner.

"And if he comes back, then .. " his confidence seemed to falter a little.

"Then you'll give him what he deserves?" Belgium tried, still a bit shocked, but also glad he was still the same.

"Indeed!" I'll just stab him in his butt so he'll go back to his own land and never returns."

She laughed, and after a moment he laughed, too. Then her expression grew serious. "Where did he come from? I've never heard of Norge before." She was really curious about those Vikingen. Sure, they were big and scary and they had hurt her brother! - but she still was curious about how they were like.

"They came with boats," Nederland answered. "But they're not from the island we see when it's really clear.. so maybe he's another island?"

"So we cannot see his land?" Her brother shook his head. She thought about it. Then she had an idea. "But if we swim towards that land, maybe we'll see it then?"

"You cannot swim for that long. It would take yeaaaars to reach the island we can see," he answered. He had tried it once; he'd been swimming for hours and hours and the island just didn't come closer. Oh well. He didn't really care about where that Norge land was. For now, all he wanted was nice company - check - and a place to rest. He was so tired. "Hey.. Belgium?"

She smiled at him and stood up. "Oui?"

"Can I stay with you tonight?"

"No."

Huh? He frowned, why not? Did he say something bad? But he knew she was joking when she grinned down at him, picked up the dagger and the basket, and offered him a hand. Greatfully he took it and he looked into her cheerful eyes. "You have to stay with me! For at least a week."

He smiled, too. "Thank you..."

"You're welcome."

"No really, thank you..."

"I know. You're welcome."

"Just know that I'm really glad that I can stay with you tonigh - "

His sister yelled. "Vikings! What have you done with my brother, he turned into a total softie!" She shrieked and laughed when Nederland frowned and chased after her, off the hill.

"You're blushing!"

"I'm not!"

"You did, your cheeks turned as pink as that scar on your head!"

"I don't have a scar!"

"But you will have one!"

"Shut up, I just put my hair over it so no one sees it!"

"Why? Scars are cool."

"R-Really?"

"You're blushing again!"

Exhausted they reached the bottom of the hill, and the village Belgium stayed in. She laughed at him. "Sorry.. you're just so easy to tease." He grumbled something. He wasn't really mad with her, though. He was just really glad to have family. And they would always support each other, no matter what.


End file.
